Kim A. Barton: Kick the trend of low city voter turnout

By Kim A. Barton Special to The Sun

Friday

Mar 8, 2019 at 2:00 AM

If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.

It’s a common phrase from those of us who criticize the low voter turnout in city elections. Everyone has something to say, yet traditionally less than 15 percent of us decide to vote in city elections.

The decisions of the Gainesville City Commission affect our everyday lives. Roads, public safety and utilities — among many other things — fall under the direction of the City Commission. Every year, the City Commission is responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in decisions.

Combining both the city government’s and Gainesville Regional Utilities’ budgets, the commission oversees nearly $1 billion in revenue. Those are dollars that come from you and me, tax-paying citizens — and we have a responsibility to choose who represents us in making decisions related to that money.

Understanding this, I hope we kick the trend of traditionally low city voter turnout. I challenge everyone to make their voice heard on or before the March 19 election.

Both the mayoral and District 4 seats are on the ballot, as well as a charter amendment that would create a city Charter Review Commission. I encourage you to seek out information on all of the candidates and the charter amendment. Information can be found at VoteAlachua.com, and there are many other ways to get information, including social media, this newspaper and candidates’ websites.

Given that those who are seeking to serve are our neighbors, you can always reach out and likely speak to them directly, too.

Voting only gets easier every year, with three options to cast your ballot: early voting, vote-by-mail or Election Day voting.

The 2019 city of Gainesville regular election has more early voting locations than ever, and this is the first time for a city election that return postage on vote-by-mail ballots is prepaid.

Early voting, which will be held from March 9 through March 16, will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, except on Tuesday and Thursday, when hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. With each open to any city voter, regardless of his or her assigned precinct, there are five early voting locations citywide:

Any voter can vote by mail, without any reason or explanation needed. The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot is 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 13 — and all vote-by-mail ballots are due in our office by 7 p.m. Election Day (March 19). We recommend mailing your vote-by-mail ballot at least a week in advance to give it time to arrive or dropping it off in our office’s white after-hours dropbox, located on the side of the parking lot closest to Main Street.

Election Day is March 19, and polling locations citywide will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Remember, on Election Day, voters must vote at the polling place to which they are assigned — early voting locations are not open on Election Day. If you’re not sure where your polling place is, go to VoteAlachua.com.

As always, I encourage you to make your voice heard through the elections process.

If you have questions, I am available by email at kbarton@alachuacounty.us or by phone at 352-374-5252.

Kim A. Barton is Alachua County supervisor of elections.

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